Timer for internal-combustion engines



L. A. ECKERMANN Apr. 17, 1923.

TIMER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 10 1920 awuemtoz L60 A Ec/(ermann f jiw d WW atto'cnu a 1 a citizen of the residing at Detroit, in the county combination of- Patented Apr. 17,1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEO A. mums, OI DETROIT, H ICHIGAN, .ASSIGNOB TO KALES STAMPING COHPANY, OI DETROIT, IICHIGAN, L CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

mm FOB INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application fled July 10, 1920. Serial Io. 395,292.

Toallwhom'itmayconoem:

Be it known that I, Lao A. ECKERMANN, United States of America, of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Timers for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyin drawings.

This invention relates to timer for internal combustion engines, and the invention consists in the structural arrangement and parts hereinafter fully described and shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an end view of the improved timer showing the arrangement of the mechanism in the shell or casing;

Figure 2 is a view of the same in side elevation;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2, and showing in detail a mounting of one of the contact posts and of an associated pivotal'contact member;

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of said contact member;

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of a bracket in which said contact member is journalled.

In these views the reference character 1 designates a c lindrical shell, one end face of which is cosed as indicated at 1, said shell .bein preferably stamfigl from sheet steel. A racket 2, which a has the nature of a sheet steel stamping, rigidly surmounts the shell 1 and serves to secure the same to some stationary member, as for example the engine casin pot shown). is customer the cam s a 3 of the engine asses axia ly into the shell 1, and mounted ust thereu 11 within said shell is a cam 4 havin a attened face 4. ,5 designates a plurafity of contact ts mounted u n the rim portion of the ell 1, oneof said posts corresponding as is usual, to each cylinder of the e s with which the timer is ass ciated. sch post 5 comprises a threaded steel pin 6 passing radiall through an open- 7 in the rim of the s ell 1, and having cient clearance from the ed I .Vof slai opemn' g to insure, against any irect e ectrical connection between said post and rim. A air of clampin members, to maintain said pin in the ascribed position, are

formed by collar 9 on the pin within the shell, and a lock nut 8 threaded upon the pin exteriorly of the shell, insulated washers 10 and 10' being arranged between said clamping members and the shell. The usual binding nut 11 is en aged with the threaded outer end portion 0 each pin. Each of the described contact posts serves to secure interiorly to the shell 1 a bracket 12, com- PI'ISlIlg an arcuate portion 13, one end portion of which is apertured for engagement the shell and said pintle forms a pivotal 4 support for the switch member 16, which has the nature of a sheet steel stam ing and comprises bell crank arms 17 an 18, the former having a curved free end portion bearin against the cam 4, and the latter carrying adjacent its free end the contact point 18, normally slightl spaced from the inner end of the pin 6. The arm 17 is formed with a pair of parallel wings 19 serving to ivota ly mount the switch member upon t e pin 15. Preferably the wing members 19 are spaced apart a distance only slightly less than that between the bracket wings 14, so that the latter prevent any transverse movement of the switch member upon the pivot in 15. The described construction is such that the contact member 18 normall is maintained spaced from the pin 6, whi' e the arms 17 engage the cylindrical portion of 'the cam 4, while upon registration of the flat face 4 of said cam member with any of the arms 17 said arms are permitted such movement toward the axis'of the shell, as to engage the corresponding contact 18 with the corresponding lpin 6. A sprin 20 coiled upon each 'nt e15 has its en portions respectively aring upon the corresponding arm 17 and the inner face of the shell 1 so as to eflect an immediate rocking of the switch member to circuit closing position upon registratlon of said arm with the flattened portiond of the cam 4. The pin 6 is electrically connected to the shell 1, when the switch member is rocked to engage the contact 18 with said pin, since said switch member is in electrical contact with the bracket member 14 and the latter is in electrical contact-with the shell. It is to be noted that the pin 6, in passing through the portion 13 of the bracket 12, has a sufiicient clearance from said bracket to avoid an electrical contact or arcing.

e described construction advances the are by securing an increased simplicity and by efiecting a reduction of the manufacturing costs, reduced expense resulting largely from the considerable use of steel stampings in the improved construction. Also the assembl is simplifiedand the expense thereof need by arrangin the switch member and its mounting in t e form ofa unit, which whenassembled is adapted to be attached to the shell of the timer by the same clamping pair which mounts the corresponding contact post upon said shell.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a timer, the combination with the shell thereof, of a contact post mounted u on said shell, a cam centrally rotatable within the shell, and a switch member pivotally mounted in the shell and secured thereto by said contact post, of hell crank form, having "an actuatmg arm engaging said cam member and a contact arm. engageable with said post in one position of the cam member.

2. In a timer, the combination with the shell thereof, of a contact post mounted upon said shell, a cam member centrally rotatable within the shell, 9. switch member mounted upon and electrically connected to the shell by said' contact post, having bell crank form, one arm thereof being arranged to bear upon said cam and the other being adapted to engage said post in a predeter mined position of the cam, and a spring engaged between said shell and the arm of the switch member bearing upon the cam, maintaining the desired engagementof the latter with the cam.

3. In a timer, the combination with the shell thereof, of a contact post mounted upon said shell, a cam, member rotatable centrally within the shell, and a unit secured to said shell by said post and vcomprising a switch member of bell crank form, having.a cam engaging arm, and an arm engageable with the contact post, a bracket providing a pivotal support to said switch member, and a spring urging said switch member to its circuit closing position.

4. In a timer, the combination with the shell thereof, of a contact post including a clampin pair attaching said post to the shell, a iracket member clamped interior ly to the shell by said clamping pair, a switch member pivoted upon said bracket, and a cam directly engaging and controlling said switch member rotatable in said shell.

5. In a timer, the combination with the shell thereof, of a contact post including a clamping means attaching said post to the shell, a cam, a bracket member clamped to said shell by said clamping means and in sulated from said post, a switch member pivoted upon said bracket and provided with a pair of arms angularly disposed in relation to each other one of which engages and is rocked by said cam and the other of which forms a contact with said contact post when said first-mentioned arm is rocked,

ture.

LEO A. ECKERMANN.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa- 

